Acclaimed jazz guitarist Rez Abbasi has broken new territory yet again. His latest musical contribution – a fresh film score for the legendary Indian silent film, A Throw of Dice. The New York Guitar Festival commissioned Abbasi to compose a new score, and then perform it live alongside a screening. Abbasi seized the opportunity to re-imagine the 1929 classic movie.
Considered one of the best modern jazz guitar players, Abbasi’s unique fusion style spans genres, from traditional Indian folk sounds to modern rock. That mix of tones now accompanies A Throw of Dice. The epic silent-era production tells the tale of a legendary Indian love triangle with a cast of thousands – including 10,000 extras, 1,000 horses, and dozens of elephants.
“Knowing that the music was going to be released separately, it was important for me to create an engaging listening experience that would be strong on its own,” Abbasi explains. “The added bonus is, as a performance piece the pockets of improvisation allow it to evolve every time.”
Rez Abbasi Draws on His Multicultural Background
Born in Karachi, Pakistan, Abbasi was four when his family moved to southern California. He quickly took to music, trying out a wide range of styles. He learned everything, from modern jazz to classical; from gentle Indian string plucking to the concrete-heavy strums of progressive rock.
He soon proved himself to be a virtuoso of the fret-board. Throughout a globe-trotting career that has taken him to New York, India, Canada, Mexico and Europe, Abbasi has been hailed as a unique musical genius, ranked by critics as one of the top ten contemporary guitarists.
With 12 albums already under his belt, A Throw of Dice offers Abbasi new opportunities to use his layered talent. Regarded as one of India’s greatest film productions, the movie provides a perfect backdrop for Abbasi’s seamless fusion style.
“This album is quite different from anything else I’ve done – something I would not have created had it not been for the film’s guidance, which is so pleasing,” Abbasi says. “Engaging with the characters’ emotional and psychological content, the visuals along with other stimuli, galvanized my ideas.”
Abbasi’s Seamless Blurring of Genres
For his score, Abbasi worked with several other talented musicians. Each musician played multiple instruments, weaving together sitar guitar (played by Abbasi himself), electric guitar, cello, and even saxophone. The result is a timeless, international meld of familiar and foreign sounds.
“It was imperative to have a versatile group in order to mirror the flow of the film,” Abbasi explains. “With these textural possibilities, I felt I had the flexibility to keep the music aligned with whatever emotional content the film presented.”
Ultimately, the key to Abbasi’s genius is seamlessness.
“What makes my music work is that the influences of India penetrate it on an organic level,” Abbasi reflects. “It’s not like I’m putting music together saying, ‘let’s throw a tabla player here, a sitar player here, and now let’s go into the jazz section.’ When you do that, you’re just cutting and pasting things and the listener can hear that.”
Rez Abbasi Applies Years of Training to Film Score
While Abbasi’s new score weaves the soft influences of jazz, rock, and classical music into more traditional Indian sounds, the artist has always approached music in a similar way. For example, Abbasi’s popular song, “Thin-King”, rather weaves those subtle Indian threads into more modern jazz sounds.
“It’s subtle, as opposed to a direct application of Indian musical principles,” Abbasi explains. “It’s a jazz piece, but I include some phraseology from the sitar and the sarod on my guitar, which manifests itself in certain bends, slides, and pull-offs. However, I don’t emphasize these elements. If I didn’t have an Indian background, people might not even recognize them.”
Fans eager to hear his newest recording will need to wait a few more months. Abbasi’s acclaimed soundtrack to A Throw of Dice will only be released by Whirlwind Recordings on October 18.
